⏱ 6 min read

“When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” – Matthew 27:1-2

• The day of sorrow. We call it Good Friday now, but it was a very sad, sorrowful, and terrible day then.
• At the center and helm of affairs for this day were the older religious people and leaders (older Jewish Priests and leaders/elders). [Now Jesus had earlier predicted this to His disciples in Matthew 16:21]

"From that time Jesus began telling his followers that he must go to Jerusalem. He explained that the older Jewish leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law would make him suffer many things. And he told his followers that he must be killed. Then, on the third day, he would be raised from death." - Matthew 16:21 ERV

• Dear friend, I have realized that ‘older people’ syndrome is a horrible disposition with dire consequences.
• ‘Older people’ tend to be a stumbling block to new entrants almost everywhere, even in the body of Christ.

• These were teachers of the law, yet a new Teacher (Jesus) had come with more insight and in-depth understanding, and they couldn’t handle it.
• However, the common people loved Jesus’ teachings and were amazed at them (Mark 6:2; 12:37).

"When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." - Matthew 7:28-29

• They described Jesus’ teaching as one that had authority over what their ‘older’ scribes taught (Matthew 7:28-29).
• So the religious people and older leaders were threatened by Jesus’ existence. This is the ‘older people’ syndrome.

• ‘Older people’ – whether by age or position or being at a place longer, are threatened by new entrants and out of envy and jealousy (Matthew 27:18), resort to many schemes.
• They realize they can be replaced, and instead of learning something from the young ones, they seek to stifle them.
• They cannot accept positive change that does not involve them. They cannot understand why the new worker is doing well, and they scheme and plan all sorts of ways to bring them down:

"And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor."

1. When they had bound him: to bind someone is to restrict their movement and freedom. This can be through many rules and restrictions.
2. They led him away: they lead one into error and into making mistakes. (Note that these older leaders time and time again tried to trap Jesus with questions and scenarios to destroy Him).
3. They delivered him to: they deliver you into evil hands – in the form of gossip, backbiting, slander, etc. – and ultimately deliver you to the authorities in bad faith.

• One other method is to get people to betray you (eg. Judas) and condemn you (eg. Pilate).
• They get close to people around you to get information about you and/or lure them to find faults with you. (If you are a leader or a new entrant anywhere, please pray about this).

"And a man’s enemies will be the members of his [own] household [when one believes and another does not]." - Matthew 10:36

• Pray about it because you are not perfect and will definitely have flaws and failed relationships; but ‘older people’ hunt for these and use them to bring you down.
• Judas was just a pawn in their hands to get to Jesus (Matthew 27:4).
• Dear friend, if you haven’t experienced ‘older people syndrome’ before, I sincerely pray you are spared of it and I pray that you and I don’t become like such also.

When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” (Matthew 27:3-4)

If you want to understand this last point better, I suggest you read 2 Samuel 15. You will see how Absalom stole the hearts of the people, and led 200 innocent men to rebel against David.

• Ask Moses about ‘older prophet siblings’ (Miriam and Aaron) and old priests (Korrah).
• You can also ask little boy Joseph about how ‘older brothers’ are killers of dreams and great potential.
• Ask David about the older leader – King Saul – and all he had to endure.

I pray we will read the scriptures and gain wisdom to handle these situations. May the Lord by His great grace, deliver us from ‘older people syndrome’, and may we never become such also. Heyy… you’re blessed!

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